Dual wheel assembly



Jan. 4, 1944. m c. ASH 2,338,224

DUAL WHEEL ASSEMBLY Original Filed May 20, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet l |NVENTOR1 i Cimr/es 255 A56,

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Jan. 4, 1944. c, 5, ASH 2,338,224

DUAL WHEEL ASSEMBLY Original Filed May 20, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR:

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Patented Jan. 4, 1944 7 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Y 2,338,224 DUAL WHEEL ASSEMBLY Charles s. Ash, Milford, Mich. Original application May 20, 1939, Serial No.

Divided and this application Febru- 1942, Serial No. 429,475

7 Claims. (01. 280-961) The invention relates to new' and useful im provements in dirigible differential wheel assemblies, and more particularly to such improvements tice with the inventiomthe same being realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention consists in the novel parts, constructions, arrangements, combinations, and improvements herein shown and described.

being angularly movable about the king pin axis by the steering gear.

To automatically effect desired camber the steering knuckle is so mounted upon the axle bar by means of the king pin that the spindle may have limited vertical angular movement relatively to the axle bar about a horizontal axis, and this axis is a pivotal support of the knuckle upon the king pin. The relative movement of the spindle The accompanying drawings, referred to herein and constituting a part hereof, illustrate one embodiment of the invention, and together with the description, serve to of the invention.

Of the drawingsr Fig. l is a partial horizontal plan and section through a left-hand dual wheel assembly embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary detail elevation with parts in section of the steering knuckle and wheel spindle and end of the axle beam of Fig. 3 is a section taken along line 3-3 of Fig. 2 and Fig. 4 is a section taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

The object of the present invention is to provide for or effect a limited or desired amount of camber in dirigible differential front wheel assemblies. A further object is to provide means in such wheel assemblies for automatically effecting the camber to a desired or predetermined degree. Still a further object is to provide camber permitting or camber effecting mechanism in connection with the king pin mounting of the steeringknuckle on the axle beam-in such wheel assemblies. Another object of the invention is to provide for automatically effecting camber to conform to variations in the road bed so as to impose equal load and wear'on both wheels.

With these and other objects in view there is provided, as a 4 present preferred embodiment, dirigible differential front wheels, freely relatively rotatable on an integral spindle and yoked steering knuckle which have rotative movement relatively to the end of the front axle bar about an interposed king pin, the knuckle and spindle explain the principles in a vertical plane is in planes varying with the steering movement of the knuckle and spindle.

The spindle is resiliently held to a normal position but has limited angular movement from that position in a vertical plane, and by the cambering action thus obtained the side-by-side tires are allowed to conform to the road bed and thereby uniform action is obtained as to loading wear, traction, steering, while the wheels are freely totatable with respect to each other.

It will be understood that the foregoing general description and the following detailed de-.

scription as well are exemplary and explanatory of the invention but are not restrictive thereof.

Referring now to the embodiment of the invention illustrated by Way, of example in the accompanying drawings, a wheel spindle I has infastenedto the flat outer face of a hub I2 by screw bolts I3, the hub I2 encirclin the spindle I. .Between the hub I2 and the spindle I are two spaced-apart inclined roller bearings I5 and I6, which may be of suitable or known form. The inner ring I! of inner bearing I6 abuts on its inner face on a flange or shoulder I8 integral with spindle I and the outer face of the outer ring I9 abuts on a shoulder 20 formed in hub I2. The outer ring 23 of outer bearing I5 abuts at its inner face on a shoulder 24 on hub I2, and the outer face of inner rin 25 of this bearing abuts on a nut 26 screw-threaded on the end of spindle l, Theinboard wheel comprises a dished web 3| integral with which is a dished offset hub, having two cylindrical bearing surfaces 32 and 33, which are journaled on corresponding cylindrical surfaces on the exterior of hub I2 with suitable interposed bushings 34 and 35. Braking means are provided for each wheel, the outboard wheel having a brake drum M which is bolted to a [flange 42, integral with and extending outwardly from the inner end or the inner wheel hub I2, and an expansible brake shoe 43 is mounted within the drum 4| and is provided with suitable actuating means. The inboard wheel has a brake drum 40 having an integral, outwardly-extending annular lip 49 abutting on the inner flat annular face of wheel 3| and fastened thereto by screw bolts 50. Drum 48 likewise has an expansible brake" shoe 5| operated by suitable means.

vided, which is centrally internally apertured, and adjacent to said aperture is fastened to and supported from a disc 53 integral with wheel spindle I by screw bolts 54.

In the embodiment ofthe invention shown in the accompanying dra'wings a pivotal joint is provided between the steering knuckle and axle beam end for effecting relative rotary. movement between them whereby automatic cambering may be effected concurrently with-the usual steering control. beam 6i has an enlarged and 62 fitting within the spaced apart arms 3 and 4 of the steering knuckle, the end 62 having a convex spherical top bearing surface 63 upon which rests the cooperatingly concave bearing surface 64 of the steering knuckle arm 3. The other or lower portion of the enlarged axle end 62 is mounted for relative rotary movement upon the enlarged flat sided base I02 of lying pin IN, a ball bearing 86 being interposed between the members for easier steering of the vehicle. The king pin IOI extends through a substantially vertical cylindrical bore in the end 62 of the axle beam (H, with a bushing I09 interposed between its surface and that of the axle end.

"As may be seen in Fig. 3, the enlarged flatsided base I02 of kingpin I is located within a cylindrical opening in the lower arm 4 of the steering knuckle with considerable space left to allow for the relative movement of the parts. The base'I02 is pivotally supported on bolt I 03 which projects through flanged bushings I04 and I seated in openings formed at either side in the knuckle arm 4, the bolt being held in place by a nut I06.

In order to resiliently mount the upper knuckle arm 3 upon the axle end 52 the king pin IOI extends upwardly through a cylindrical bore in arectangular block IIO which is positioned in a vertical rectangular opening in the knuckle arm 3. The block IIO has a concavely spherical lower surface which rests on the spherical top surface 63 of axle end 62. The dimensions of block III) are such that a fairly close fit results between the sides of the block and knuckle arm 3 laterally of the axis of the axle and spindle,

while considerable space is left between the block and the steering knuckle arm longitudinally of the axis oi the axle and spindle. In this space at either end of the block IIO are positioned resilient pads II4 which are held in place by metal casings H5.

With the construction of dirigible differential wheel assembly shown and described it will be apparent that the integral spindle I and steeringknuckle 2 are capable of vertical angular movement relatively to the axle beam GI about the horizontal axis of the pivotal supporting bolt )3, and that this movement is resiliently limited by the interposition of pads H4 in the path of movement.

A dished protecting shield 52 for the brake mechanism is pro- As shown in Fig. 2, an axle Automatic camberin g' of l the wheels is thereby effected and the side-by side tires are allowed to conform to the road sur' face and equal loading of the tires is realized. The automatic cambering is effected whatever the horizontal angular relation may be between the spindle I and the axle beam BI due to steering the vehicle.

It will be understood that. my automatically cambering dirigible differential wheel assembly may be adapted to all types of front axle beam and steering knuckle structures. The pivoting axis maybe arranged at the bottom portionof of the invention and without sacrificing its chief advantages.

What I claim is:

1. A dual dirigible front wheel assembly including in combination a wheel spindle and yoked steering knuckle, dual wheels mounted on said spindle, an axle beamwith its end within said steering knuckle yoke, a king pin connecting said knuckle and axle beam. a pivotal support for the king pin mounted in one arm of the knuckle yoke, means permitting limited angular movement of the king pin within the other arm of the knuckle yoke and connections for moving the spindle and knuckle about the axis of the king pin to effect steering.

2. A dual dirigible front wheel assembly including in combination an axle beam, a wheel spindle having dual wheelsmounted thereon, said 7 wheels being rotatable on the spindle independently of each other, a king pin for pivotally connecting the spindle to the axle beam. and forming a substantially vertical axis about which the spindle and wheels can turn for steering movement, and a second pivotal-mounting for the spindle and wheels about which they can turn together on a substantially horizontal axis to impart camber to said dual wheels, said horizontal axis intersecting the king pin axis between the ends of said king pin.

3. A dual dirigible front wheel assembly including in combination an axle beam, a wheel spindle having dual wheels mounted thereon, said wheels being rotatable on the spindle independently of each other, a king pin between the two wheels for pivotally connecting the spindle to theyaxle beam and forming a substantially vertical axis about which the spindle and wheels can turn for steering movement, and a second pivotal-mounting for the spindle and wheels about which they can turn together on a substantially horizontal axis to impart camber to said dual wheels said horizontal axis intersecting the king pin axis between the ends of said king pin.

4. In a dual dirigible front wheel assembly the combination of a pair of wheels, wheel mounting means on which said wheels are mounted for coaxial side-byside rotation, mounting means tially vertical axis for vehicle steering, the king pin. member at one extremity thereof being pivotally connected to the yoke member and at the aasaaas other extremity thereoi having resilient engagement with said yoke member. 1

5. In a dual dirigible wheel assembly the com bination of a spindle, a pair of wheels mounted on the spindle for coaxial side-by-side rotation, an axle end, means for mounting the spindle on the axle end for relative movement between the spindle and axle end about a substantially vertical axis and a substantially horizontal axis, said means including a yoke member and a king pin member and means at one end of the king pin member pivotally connecting said member to the yoke member, and means at the other end or the king pin member for resiliently associating the king pin member and the yoke member.

6. In a dual dirigible wheel assembly the com bination o! a spindle, a pair of wheels mounted on the spindle for coaxial side-by-side rotation, an axle end, a yoke and king pin connection between the spindle and axle end for relative rotary 3 movement between said members about a substantially vertical axis for steering the vehicle, and means in said connection allowing automatic cambering of the wheels including a pivotal Joint interconnecting one end of the king pin and the yoke and resilient bushings at the other end of the king pin between the king pin and the yoke.

7. In a dirigible wheel assembly the combination of a spindle, a wheel rotatably mounted on the spindle, a yoke fixed to the spindle, an axle end positioned between the arms of the yoke, a king pin substantially vertically Journaled in the axle end and extending into a relatively large aperture in each of the arms of the yoke, a shaft journaled in one yoke arm passing through the aperture and having the king pin Journaled thereon, and removable bushings between the other yoke arm and the king pin in the aperture.

CHARLES S. ASH. 

